Well as the title says, its been a while since I’ve updated this blog on my life and my adventures. Just a few months shy of two years actually. Its wild to think how fast time flies. I’d like to blame my lack of updates on the slow internet on Kwajalein Atoll but thats only part of it. I believe I go through trends where I’m wanting to share my thoughts and adventures to real people, and times where I want to share it on here. I’m not sure. I do want to get better about posting on here. I even created an Instagram page for the blog. @pitresperegrinations. Its private, and has no photos, no followers, and is not following anyone but maybe one day all that will change. I think it could be cool even though I use my main Insta now for posting all my travel stuffs.
Lets get back into where we were at in the story and adventures. My last post (July 2021) I had been working for over 70 days straight due to manning issues. At the time, I thought that was a lot, and goodness was I wrong. I ended up working 225 days straight, 5400 hours between clocking in, and my next clock out. I can definitely say I’ll be okay with never doing that nonsense again. I can’t lie, the money was decent though. That being said, due to being out of the US, it was all straight time so the money definitely could of been better. I got some stickers made during all that with a skeleton laying on a beach with a fire truck that said “Put on 168s, and left to our fates”. Everyone loved them, including the bosses who were making us work those hours! During that marathon of hours I even got up to Roi Namur and work several weeks covering that station as well since they were also having staffing issues. Roi has far less people than Kwajalein, roughly 1/10th of the population. It also has more World War 2 relics left too. It was a neat experience getting to work up there and getting the meet the great guys at that station. We also had a partial blackout while I was there and was about to get some amazing pictures of the night sky.
Towards the end of 2021, something amazing happened. THEY ALLOWED US TO START TAKING VACATIONS!! I immediately put in for vacation, and was allowed to take vacation in January 2022, one month before my year contract was up for renewal. When I got home I tried to make the most of that month home. I bought two motorcycles, a 1979 Shovelhead, and a 2022 Low Rider S. I did a couple of quick trips to see close friends, and spent the rest of the time with the special people in my life. The month went by too quickly. In no time I was headed back to Hawaii for another stint in quarantine. However, before I checked back in for another three weeks of quarantine, I rented a motorcycle and rode all over the island of O’ahu! It was absolutely the right choice, especially since I didn’t get to do much bike stuff while I was home for that month.
I officially checked in for another stint of quarantine the first week of February 2022. This time I had to do one week in Hawaii, and two weeks on Kwajalein. Luckily, I was properly prepared this time, and had care packages ready for drop off. Also I was quarantining with one of the most loved Crew Chiefs on the atoll. We were very well taken care of this time around, both with food and drink. It was an uneventful three weeks overall though.
So while I was gone on vacation, I signed up to work another year with Amentum on Kwaj. That being said, not everything was as it appeared. Earlier in 2021, the company had lost the contract, and a new company had won it. We knew a contract switch over was coming, but we didn’t know when. I knew I probably wouldn’t stay and working with the new company but I was willing to stay until they took over. Well, during quarantine, we found out when the take over was happening…March. I signed for another year just to take vacation, spend three weeks in quarantine, work one week, and be sent back home. (Also to collect a couple of bonuses as well). So much to my happiness I was headed back home again, and I couldn’t wait.
I’ll continue the story in the next post! I’m going to attempt the post a couple times this week to catch up! Better late than never right! Also during this time, I had Pitre Peregrination stickers made!! So if you’re traveling, keep on eye out for one. I’m going to try to stick them places I go! I’ll post one at the bottom!! Also, let me know if y’all want me to post more pictures on this blog, or if I need to start them on the Insta!
– Tyler
Artist of the Post – Chris Stapleton/Steeldrivers
Pitre's Peregrination 